Anderson senses Clarke paranoia

The key battles between James Anderson and Michael Clarke will be under scrutiny this winter, as evidence mounts that the two Ashes adversaries have little regard for one another.

Anderson wondered aloud whether the Australia captain is "paranoid", after Clarke divulged in his Ashes Diary - a first-hand account of last summer's series, published last week - that he suspects the England fast bowler does not like him.

Clarke also made it clear in his chronicle he has no personal problem with any of the England players he will face in the re-match for the Ashes, set to get under way in Brisbane on Thursday.

Anderson, however, has previously described Clarke as "arrogant" in his own book - and admitted he hit him with a pad after the tourists' defeat in Adelaide during England's 5-0 Ashes drubbing in 2006/07.

He appeared bemused nonetheless to learn that Australia's linchpin batsman has interpreted from a series of apparent snubs that he is no admirer.

Clarke wrote: "I'm polite to all of the Englishmen and will say G'day to anyone. James Anderson is the one who prefers not to talk to me."

Asked whether he does dislike Clarke, Anderson said: "No. I think he is possibly being a bit paranoid.

"I've nothing against him at all.

"I don't remember seeing him many times outside a game situation.

"So if he goes on how I behave in the field, he might think that. I don't know."

As the opening of hostilities draws ever nearer, Anderson and Clarke's differences were not the only focus for Ashes hype on Monday.

Kevin Pietersen risked offending his Brisbane hosts, by demeaning the city which stages the first Ashes Test, in a Twitter spat with a journalist.

Pietersen responded, as presumably his provoker intended, after being pictured on the front page of the Brisbane-based Courier Mail walking alone and wearing earphones as England arrived at the airport.

The attendant headline read: "He's so arrogant not even his own team likes him."

After an initial Twitter response claiming front-page treatment will merely boost his ego, sealing his message with a kiss, Pietersen's reaction to a little more goading continued: "I would have preferred a Sydney front page tbh.. But I'll take Melbourne! No one has heard of Brisbane outside Oz!"

It remains to be seen, three days before the start of the Ashes at the Gabba, how his remark is received in the Queensland capital.